Bernardo da Silva’s return to good health has left a mark on at least one University of Hawaii basketball teammate.
At the UH basketball team’s informal “media day” on Monday, post Mate Colina was sporting a red scratch on his forehead, a result of inadvertent contact with da Silva during a practice. On the money-maker being marred, Colina mused, “you’re telling me.”
Colina and da Silva are close friends who appreciate their daily encounters in the low post. “He’s a good fella,” Colina said of da Silva. “It’s good we challenge each other and make each other better (in practices). That’s the best thing about getting to play with each other every day.”
Those intrasquad workouts were largely missed last season, when da Silva played in five games before being shut down because of an injury to his right ankle. In 2019-20, his freshman season, da Silva broke into the starting lineup at the start of Big West competition, but then missed five games because of an injury, and was not the same the rest of that season.
With missed time his first two UH seasons, da Silva was diligent in his therapy on his right ankle, and vowed to be stronger and quicker this year. Because of the pandemic, da Silva maintains his sophomore status this coming season.
“I feel I have a lot to prove here,” da Silva said. “This is the perfect year to do so.”
Da Silva, who grew up in Brazil and attended high school in Utah, initially enrolled at UH as a 6-foot-9, 193-pound post in July 2019. He had the reach — 7-foot-2 wing span — and shot-rejection instincts.
“He was starting for us by the start of league play (in 2019), and was one of the (Big West’s) better freshmen,” coach Eran Ganot said. “And he had a setback. And he didn’t have a true sophomore season for a lot of reasons.”
Ganot said several consultations and discussions led to the decision to abbreviate da Silva’s 2020-21 season. “The health situation was a big scare, and there’s a physical and mental side to that,” Ganot said. “We went with making sure he was ready to go for this year. It hurt us in the short term, great in the long term. The confidence in his game, (and) the games slowing down for him because of the experience, have led him to the point he is right now, which is a lot more overall confidence and being more aggressive.”
Assistant coach Mike Thomas, who works with the post players, said da Silva is a skilled ball-handler, fearless on drives that lead to layups or fouls, and has developed a consistent mid-range touch. Thomas noted da Silva, who now weighs 215 pounds, is more physical.
“He’s locked in, man,” Thomas said. “He wants to play. He wants to win. … Bernardo is not a skinny kid. He bangs down there (in the post), as well.”
Da Silva said: “I’m a nice person. But when I’m on the court, I like to switch. and turn that motor on, and do whatever it costs to win.”
